Biggleswade AC February 2004

The AGM of the Club - Tuesday 23rd March 2004

The AGM of the Club is to be held on 23rd March in the Purcell Room at the Weatherly Centre, Biggleswade at 8.00pm. The AGM is a very important event in the life of the club and provides the opportunity for members to make their own views known about how the club is being run, and to make suggestions for the future. It is also the time when the new committee is elected. Please put the date in your diaries and make every effort to attend. (Only paid up members over the age of 17 may vote at an AGM).

If you have any item of business that you would like added to the agenda of this meeting then please advise Stuart Galloway by 1st March at the latest. There will be no Agenda item of "Any Other Business" on the night.

If you wish to nominate any member to serve on the committee this must be made in writing with the agreement of the person concerned and supported by one other club member. Such nominations should also be sent to Stuart Galloway, by 9th March at the latest. Prior nominations in writing take precedence over nominations on the evening.

SANDY 10 - Sunday 4th April
As most of you are aware, our club organises this ever popular race. We already have over 50 people registered to run the event, so the race limit of 400 may well be reached this year. We would welcome as much support as possible from members and friends on the day. People have been very complementary about the organisation of the race in the past but we can only keep up this high standard with your help. Quite a few members have already pledged their support, for which we are very grateful. If you feel that you can help please advise Nigel Bush or Stuart Galloway. Remember, it is an unwritten club rule that members of the club do not run the event unless they can provide somebody to help out in their stead.

Schools Cross-Country Relays, Rowney Warren
Tuesday March 16th
The Club are again organising the Schools Cross-Country Relays at Rowney Warren on Tuesday March 16th, beginning at 4pm. All offers of help (marshalls, recorders, timekeepers etc) will be very gratefully received. Please let Ken, David or Stuart know if you may be available to help.

Club Membership - Annual Subscriptions
Please don't forget that annual subscriptions became due on 1st January 2004. Membership is still only Ł12 for seniors and Ł5 for juniors and Second Claim members. Prompt payment would be very much appreciated. Don't forget that it is a Club Rule that you may not compete for the Club after 31st January if your subscription has not been renewed. Our thanks go to those of you who have already re-joined but there are a number of you who have not yet done so. We don't want to lose any members - you are the life-blood of the club.

Chelmsford Hurdles Clinic
A report by Jordan Best:

On Saturday 10th January I attended a UK Hurdles Clinic training session at Chelmsford, with Kay Brown. The principal coach was Olympic athlete and GB International Hurdler Damian Greaves (currently the number 2 hurdler in the country). I had a fantastic time and learned a lot. It was very rewarding, and training with some of the best young hurdlers in the country was great. It was very interesting and the session lasted 2.5 hrs, I came home exhausted. I would recommend to anyone that the way to improve and learn is to attend such sessions. I cannot wait for the next session in March.

The next session is on Sun 14th March. For more information on such clinics contact a coach. The sessions are open to all who have achieved a certain standard (male/female, junior/senior).

English National Championships
These will take place at Leeds (W.Yorkshire) on 21st February 2004. Any seniors (male or female) wishing to run this event, please contact Stuart Galloway on 01767-223942 as soon as possible.

Gavin's Training Tips

Gavin Elliott has passed on some of his training ideas for those doing Marathons and other long races:

Training Runs - the "Gade Valley Training Runs" are really good and about 90% of the people doing them are running the London Marathon. There are two planned at the moment:
Sunday 25th January- 12 mile
Sunday 29th February- 17 mile
Both are held at the Cricket Club, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead. They are really friendly and I think they are only a Ł5. Lots of people take part. It's not a race, (but try telling me that), everyone is really chatty as everyone is in the same boat training for the London Marathon. They both start at 9.30am.

Another one to think about is the Bedford Harriers Oakley 12 and 20 (Obviously you don't want to bother about the 12). That's on Sunday 28th March. A lot of the club usually do this one.

I know it sounds daft but if we are ever doing the Dells Lane/Holme Court Avenue loops on a Tuesday and you feel you want to do a 3rd or even 4th just say and I'll keep on running with you.

Run first thing in the morning. Yes I know it's horrid getting up early but if you have your running stuff laid out you only have to get up three quarters of an hour early. When you do get to work you feel good in the knowledge you have run 4 or 5 miles already then if you run when you get home you don't feel it. If it's a Tuesday and we do are normal loops that's another 4½ miles, so that's 9 or 10 miles in total (it soon adds up).

There's lots of quirky ways to up your mileage, I refuse to use my email for send Birthday cards for a 5 mile radius. Write a note, run and put it through their door. Even run out to your favourite take-away to collect a menu or to the cinema to see what time a film starts. Or run to get some top up for your phone in the next village etc. It breaks the run up and you look forward to getting to your destination.

Some days you will feel bad, heavy, slow. When I'm feeling like this I always try to run past the homes of people who I know, or places that people know me (through the centre of town etc), you automatically pick your speed up as you know someone may be looking.

Lots of 5 or 6 miles are good but remember that long run on a Sunday. I find that by counting your weeks mileage from your long run you feel better knowing that you only have to do another 5 miles that week, instead of thinking.....@!@! I have to do 12 on Sunday!!

When you are upping your mileage, add that extra bit on to your usual training run at the beginning and not the end. You are happier in the knowledge that you have done extra and you are on the way home than if you've finished your usual and you still have to do more.

There are lots of other ways. If you have any please share them with the group. Good luck. I am always free for a run or a chat about running.

The Tuesday Night Programme

All events start at 7pm unless stated, and are on a Tuesday. Meet inside the bar area of the Weatherley Centre. Any future ideas for programme activities should be passed to Gavin or one of the committee. We hope you will all find these events enjoyable, they are designed to improve your running and over-all fitness - all feedback is welcome.

   Feb 3   Newcomers evening - please bring a friend
   Feb 10   An introduction to Fartlek and other training experiences
   Feb 17   Speed work with our Steve
   Feb 24   Dells Lane / Holmecourt in negative splits (give it a go).
   Mar 2   Hare and Tortoise racing on a 600m loop.
   Mar 9   Hill training (we may meet else where due to the light)
   Mar 16   Dells Lane / Holmecourt Ave (and Fartlek if required)
   Mar 23   Speed work with Steve (You know you love it!!!)
   Mar 30   Biggleswade Boundary
   Apr 6   Away day (training in a local village followed by a drink)
   Apr 13   Dells Lane / Holmecourt Ave (Last Tuesday before the Marathon)

Leagues, Series, and Other Events

Three Counties Cross-Country League
Our Club is responsible for the administration of the League this season. All races are on Sundays:
15th February 2004 - Leighton Buzzard (postponed from 8 Feb)

Chiltern Cross-Country League
All races are on Saturdays:
14 Feb 2004 - Wing

North West London League Cross-Country
The 18 Oct race was cancelled, the others are expected to take place (but check the venue). All races are on Saturdays:
14 Feb - Wormwood Scrubs

U20 Indoor AAA Championships - Feb 28th/29th
See a coach or David Brown for an entry form and qualifying criteria.
Last year we had 8 athletes who qualified the most yet. Can we get into double figures this time? Discuss this with your coach regarding training and a schedule.
ENTRIES CLOSE 6th Feb 2004.
Windsor Winter Season
Enter on the day - see David Brown

Sat 7 Feb 60 M/60 M Hurdles, HJ, PV
Sun 7 Mar 60 M/60 M Hurdles, LJ, TJ, Shot

Southern Mens and Womens Leagues
All dates are Saturdays. Please note we have been given two home fixtures for each of the mens' and womens' matches. At Southend (Womens 24th April) we are co-hosts, it our responsibility to run and score our match. All assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Our main concern is the joint fixtures on May 22nd, where the womens and mens are on the same day. Assistance to judge/transport etc is required.

*Month*	Mens League		Womens League
Apr			24th	Southend (Home Fixture)
May	1st 22nd	Hemel Hempstead Thurrock (Joint Fixture)	22nd	Ilford (Joint Fixture)
Jun	26th	Luton (Home Fixture)	5th	?????
Jul	10th 31st	Walthamstow Stevenage (Home Fixture)	3rd	Kings Lynn
Aug	14th	?????	7th	Uxbridge
Sep			11th	Luton (Home Fixture)

Eastern Young Athletes League provisional dates
All dates are Sundays. Competition (all events ) for U13, U15, and U17 girls and boys. Could this be the year when we field a full team? Note the dates in your diaries now!

May 2nd Bedford (Home match - we will need plenty of helpers)
May 30th St Ives
June 20th Cambridge
July 25th St Ives again
Sep 12th Divisional finals

New Members

Welcome to the following athletes who have recently been elected members of the Club:

Freya Pibworth - Freya is a junior and comes from Potton, and is the sister of one of our existing members, Roscoe.
Christopher Addams - Chris is a senior and comes from Meppershall
Glad to have you on board folks, and best of luck with your running.

Coaching Sessions

6 Mar - Track and field Training session, Bedford Athletic Stadium at 9am
For juniors and seniors - Steve will be taking an endurance session and there will be groups for sprints, throws and jumps. See a coach for further details

New Athletic Track

No further information has been received. The next meeting is to be held at Sandy Upper School on Friday 13th February. By then, hopefully, planning permission will have been obtained by MBDC.

SEAA Cross Country - Senior Men

The SEAA asked all clubs to vote on the distance to be run by the senior men at the SEAA cross-country championships in future years. (We voted to retain the existing distance of 15Km). The results of the vote was as follows:
- 72 clubs voted in favour of reducing the distance to 12Km. (same as the National)
- 69 clubs voted in favour of maintaining the existing distance of 15Km.
- 31 gave no preference.
The SEAA then states:
"It would appear that we retain the status quo".
SEAA Head office do not know what the statement means. Since more voted for 12Km., is there a change or not? It is believed that there may be a need for a 2/3 majority but the SEAA will let us know after talking to the Cross Country Committee.

News From Other Clubs

Two Athletic clubs in our area have appointed new secretaries:

Royston Runners :
Maureen Miller, 8 Dark Lane, Sandon, Nr.Buntingford, Herts, SG9 0QT

Huntingdonshire AC :
Alan Weaver, 18 Churchill Avenue, Wyton, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE28 2EJ

NEWS FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

Indoor high jump sessions

The next two sessions are on Friday February 4th and Friday March 19th, both at 9pm in the small gym at Biggleswade Recreation Centre. All are welcome but please let Ken know if you would like to come.

Hurdles Clinic, Chelmsford
There is a Hurdles Clinic at the Chelmsford Indoor Arena with the Top coach in the UK, former UK athlete Lloyd Cowan, open to all U15/17/20 's with previous hurdling coaching. For more information contact David Brown, Biggleswade AC's Hurdles Coach.

Sun 14 Mar 11.30 - 14.00

BIGGLESWADE ATHLETIC CLUB

BIGGLESWADE ATHLETIC CLUB

Newsletter : FEBRUARY 2004